A plumbing fixture is known having a housing provided with a water inlet and formed with a water outlet and a battery compartment. This housing is secured to a support surface and holds an electrically operated valve between the inlet and outlet and having an electrical feed wire energizable for movement of the valve between a closed position blocking flow between the inlet and outlet and a closed position blocking such flow. A battery in the compartment is connected to an electrical circuit also connected to the feed wire for opening the valve on detection of a solid object in front of the housing. Normally the circuit is permanently mounted in the housing and the housing has a removable cover over the battery compartment for removal and replacement of the battery.
Such a fixture, typically set up as a proximity-opening mixing faucet, is quite difficult to service. Changing the battery is fairly difficult and the battery is in a location where it can easily be removed and stolen. If the circuit goes bad, the entire fixture must be replaced.